What Is Required For Thai Friend To Visit Uk For Holiday In New Year?

[AshG75]

I have a friend in Thailand that I have visited a couple of times since june, she's acted like my personal tour guide showing me some of the sights and attractions of Thailand.

basically I would like her to visit the UK so I can do the same for her and give her an idea of the contrast of the two countries.

What is required for her to visit the UK for 2 weeks to a month other than a plane ticket?

I have no idea about visa's and all that so any information would be hugely appreciated and after checking this site Im sure I will get some to the point information regarding this.

[beechguy]

Actually, this section is for visa information for people wanting to visit Thailand, there is another section for obtaining visas to visit other countries. I'm sure a moderator can move this where it will get a better response.

[CharlieB]

I have a friend in Thailand that I have visited a couple of times since june, she's acted like my personal tour guide showing me some of the sights and attractions of Thailand.

basically I would like her to visit the UK so I can do the same for her and give her an idea of the contrast of the two countries.

What is required for her to visit the UK for 2 weeks to a month other than a plane ticket?

I have no idea about visa's and all that so any information would be hugely appreciated and after checking this site Im sure I will get some to the point information regarding this.

Proof of funds to cover her visit, proof of accomodation while she is in the UK, reason to visit UK and last and by no means least, strong reasons to return to Thailand. This last one is where many applications fail.

[7by7]

The replies in this recent thread should tell you most of what you need to know.

If you need further clarification or information, feel free to ask.

[AshG75]

Thank you CharlieB and 7by7 .. that led me to just the kind of information I was after..

I really didnt think it would be such a hassle.. I can see it may be a bit of a problem getting a visa for her to visit. I'm currently at university so I am on a limited income at the moment.. Obviously I have enough to provide for food, accomodation and transport as well as visit sights etc while shes here, I was going to offer to pay for her return flight here so she would only need "holiday money" for her visit and everything else I can provide but what exactly do they expect along those lines?

She only shares an apartment with a friend and doesnt own her own car so doesnt have her own "assets" as it says in some of the info ive read also she doesnt have any children or dependants. She does work but I have no idea of what kind of income she gets but I know it isnt a great deal. I can see all that being quite a problem when it comes to proving her return to Thailand.

The more I read, the more it seems (with the few facts ive put here) that it could be quite unlikely in obtaining a visa. Am i right?

[CharlieB]

Thank you CharlieB and 7by7 .. that led me to just the kind of information I was after..

I really didnt think it would be such a hassle.. I can see it may be a bit of a problem getting a visa for her to visit. I'm currently at university so I am on a limited income at the moment.. Obviously I have enough to provide for food, accomodation and transport as well as visit sights etc while shes here, I was going to offer to pay for her return flight here so she would only need "holiday money" for her visit and everything else I can provide but what exactly do they expect along those lines?

She only shares an apartment with a friend and doesnt own her own car so doesnt have her own "assets" as it says in some of the info ive read also she doesnt have any children or dependants. She does work but I have no idea of what kind of income she gets but I know it isnt a great deal. I can see all that being quite a problem when it comes to proving her return to Thailand.

The more I read, the more it seems (with the few facts ive put here) that it could be quite unlikely in obtaining a visa. Am i right?

Visit visas certainly don't get handed out willy nilly. You need to do your homework to get one. Find out if her job is official (i.e. not cash in hand) and whther her boss would write a letter saying he is happy for her to visit the UK for a couple of weeks and will hold her job open for her return. Hard to say how much they would require moneywise. If you can show that she will be ok to stay with you and that you have sufficient funds to look after her while she is in the UK it may be worth applying. Could you get your parents to offer some help? (Sorry if you're a mature student )

[rolypie]

Basically you need a miracle, with the government clamping down on holiday visas due to thais not returning when there visa runs out. I struggled to get my wife one never mind some one you have only known for a short time.

[7by7]

Ash, to obtain a visit visa the applicant basically needs to satisfy the ECO that on the balance of probabilities:-

1) They are a genuine visitor, with a genuine reason for visiting the UK.

2) They will be adequately accommodated and financialy supported during their stay without working or claiming public funds; from their own resources, those of a sponsor or a combination of both.

3) They will leave the UK when, or before, their visa expires; often called "reason to return."

It is the reason to return that can be a difficulty. If the applicant has a job, owns property or has other financial ties to Thailand this obviously helps. Evidence of this, such as an employers letter, would be needed.

As many Thais travel abroad to work and send money home to support their families, having family, even children, in Thailand is not by itself an adequate reason to return.

Many sponsor's have obtained a visit visa for their Thai partner based upon the length and strength of the relationship. The reasoning being that they would not want to jeapordise any future settlement plans by overstaying a visit. Unfortunately, as you have only known your friend since June, this alone may not prove sufficient unless she has other reasons to return as well.

I'm typing this on my work computer which doesn't have a spell check! So, apologies for any typos and spelling errors.

[AshG75]

Thank you again 7by7, CharlieB for the information..

All the criteria except the proof of return wouldnt be a problem but it doesnt look very likely at the moment as proving her return will be quite difficult with her current situation as I explained. oh well, maybe sometime next year.

I would have liked her to see a bit of the UK and I'm sure she will be happy to show me a bit more of Thailand in the meantime.

Oh and CharlieB im 34 so I think I should pass as a mature student hehe

Thanks again for your replies, appreciated.

Edited November 6, 2009 by AshG75

[Arkady]

If the reason to return is a job, this needs to be supported by her bank statement or passbook showing the monthy salary coming in, as well as the employer's letter confirming the job and permission to go on leave. Being enrolled in a full time degree course is also usually accepted. There should also be some money in the bank, preferably a couple of hundred thousand baht that has been there for at least 6 months. Western embassies have no interest in looking at information to do with dependents, as these are more likely to be a motivation to try to work illegally abroad than to return. If she doesn't have a convincing reason to return, you may as well save her the time, money and disappointment of applying. Contrary to what others have said, I don't think the closeness or length of the relationship makes much difference in applying for a tourist visa. As long as the applicant has a good reason to return, cash in bank and an offer of accomodation, they will get the visa. Wives who don't qualify are turned down in a heartbeat.

[7by7]

If the reason to return is a job, this needs to be supported by her bank statement or passbook showing the monthy salary coming in, as well as the employer's letter confirming the job and permission to go on leave.

For the UK, an employers letter is usually sufficient. Many Thais are paid in cash and the ECOs are aware of this.

There should also be some money in the bank, preferably a couple of hundred thousand baht that has been there for at least 6 months

Totally unnecessary as far as the UK is concerned. Obviously, if the applicant is funding the trip then they need to show that they can afford it, but if they have a sponsor who is paying for everything then they do not need to have any money in the bank; obviously the sponsor does, though!

Contrary to what others have said, I don't think the closeness or length of the relationship makes much difference in applying for a tourist visa.

A trawl through the forum archives will show you that many UK sponsors have obtained visit visas for their Thai partner based upon the length and strength of their relationship when the applicant has had no concrete reason to return.

My above comments apply to UK applications only; I have neither sufficient knowledge nor experience of the requirements of other Western countries to comment upon their requirements.